The present invention relates to polyamide compositions having exceptionally high impact strengths.
Although the polyamides in general use today such as nylon 6, nylon 6,6 and the various nylon copolymers are desirable for most applications, there are many specialty applications such as automotive and machinery parts which require exceptional strength and toughness.
Various attempts have been made in the proper art to increase the impact strength of polyamides. A common technique involves the formation of polyamide compositions containing olefin/carboxylic acid copolymers or ionomers (olefin/acid copolymers wherein a portion of the acid groups are neutralized with metal ions). Examples of such compositions may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,186, U.S. Pat. No. 3,472,916, G.B. Pat. No. 998,439, and Netherlands Pat. No. 6,705,239. Compositions of nylon/polyethylene/olefin-acid copolymer are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,223, U.S. Pat. No. 3,373,224 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,438. Another technique for improving impact strength involves the interpolymerization of a polyamide forming monomer with an amide-forming diolefin polymer and a dimerized fat acid or acid derivative. This technique is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,018,731. U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,611 discloses polyamide copolymers containing up to 15% long chain amide-forming monomers, but does not indicate any improvement in impact strength with such compositions.
While the various prior art techniques have been somewhat effective in improving the impact strength of polyamide resins, there still exists a need for polyamides having exceptional strength. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide polyamide compositions having exceptional impact strength.